It is not specified how much time it should take after a Papal conclave for a Pope, to take command of the church, but the official authority over the church is given every pope at the Papal Inuagural mass, which is the event that marks the official start of the Pope’s term.
For example, this year’s inuagural will occur after a longer period of time than the last. When Pope Francis was elected as Pope on March 13, 2013, he was inaugurated just six days later.
Today, around a quarter of a million people are expected to pack into St Peter’s Square in Vatican City to watch the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.
During the ceremony, the new pontiff will traditionally be given the pallium and the fisherman’s ring as symbols of his new authority.
However, every pope is free to slightly tweak the ceremony to make it more personal.
Vatican watchers say these small details can give us clues about the man chosen to lead 1.4 billion Catholics.
For example, Pope Francis used an open-top jeep during his procession in 2013.
Here he made a conscious choice to abandon the bulletproof casing often favoured by his predecessor and get closer to the crowd.
His decision to stop the car so he could get down to greet babies and the sick was a glimpse of the characteristics which led many to later label him “the pope of the people”.
“That’s not [Leo’s] personality,” says Father Francesco Giordano, a professor of theology at the Catholic University of America in Rome. “Francis was more out there, Leo is more shy and reserved.”
The Mass is expected to begin 10: am local time today May 18th at St Peters square, with Many world dignitories to attend.Registered are,
U.S. officials Vice President J.D. Vance, a Catholic, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will also be present.
Representing the British royal family will be King Charles III’s brother, Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh.
